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My lentils stew

Lentils' stew is a very traditional Spanish dish. From Asturias in the North, till the Canary Islands, you find different recipes for this stew!

Even with 34 degrees Celsius, you can have it for lunch (at 17h!)! I just did.

Every time I arrive in Madrid, I often go straight to my friend Juan Pablo and he always welcome me with a typical Spanish dish either a lentils' stew or a cocido madrileño,... some heavy traditional dish that are comfort food for me. It allows me to seat down, relax and connect with my dear city.

Something that I always love from the Spanish stews is that they are so easy, that you do not need to understand about cooking or whatever, to prepare it,... I give you the ingredients, and please try to do it at home, you will see!

Ingredients for 4 persons:

- 250 gr. of dry green lentils

- 2 potatoes

- 2 carrots

- 1 onion

- 100 gr. of fat streaky bacon

- 2 Spanish black pudding (but not the Burgos ones) - optional

- 2 small chorizos

- 2 bay leaves- 4 cloves

- salt and pepper.

1/ Peel the potatoes, carrots, onion. Slice then roughly. Slice as well the meats: bacon, black pudding sausage and chorizo.

2/ In a large pan, gather all the ingredients, cover with water, and put on medium heat for at least 1h. Check that there is always enough water and go adding if necessary.

3/ Usually, it is said that you have to keep the lentils at least 8h in cold water before cooking them,.... I did this recipe many times, without doing this first step, and all went perfectly well!

If you have time, prepare the lentils the day before, and warm them up again on the following day. This kind of stew, as always, is better the day after!

4/ Serve the stew with some pieces of each ingredient: potato, carrot, bacon, black pudding and chorizo in each plate. You can add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and enjoy!

Don´t be afraid, and try! I am sure you will do it fine! If you have any doubt or question, just let me know, and I will help!